Getting Around Campus On a Budget: What You Need to Know

College is expensive and continues to increase as time goes by. Bombarded with several fees, college students everywhere are not prepared or equipped with the right information to save money. Part-time jobs and an allowance arrangement with your parents may not be enough to cover fees from books, school supplies, meal plan, campus activities, etc. along with hanging out with friends. And, let’s be real. You won’t be going around looking for brokerage promotions, the best mortgage interest rates, or things of that nature. For now, you have been thrifty and frugal in order to make your dollars stretch a bit further.

In case you are experiencing college with financial burdens, rarely have enough funds to pay for recreational activities, or simply want to practice better financial management, implementing transportation strategies could save you a lot of money. Take these cost-effective four transport strategies to save money.

Off-Campus Transportation

City buses are generally a turn off from students. Bus systems can be poorly maintained and very seem inconvenient when someone doesn’t know what they are doing. It can make the process frustrating and much more tempting to use their car, ride-sharing apps, or taxi cabs, especially in case of an emergency. No one wants to wait for a bus in the cold or when it is raining.

Getting used to bus schedules and knowing the routes takes time and will pay off in the long run. Public transportation is a great resource because due to the development of new technology and smartphone apps, services are improving tremendously. Public transportation services typically provide text notifications to your phone and live view of the bus to track its route progress.

Paying a monthly or yearly fee for a bus pass could cost the same amount you would pay for ride-sharing apps and cabs on a weekend.

Being aware of these features can help you plan accordingly and make ride-sharing apps, cabs, and even your car unnecessary.

Another strategy is combining bus routes with Uber trips. In case bus route stops at a certain point or there is a location a ride-sharing service could intersect to complete the rest of the commute for you. Using public transportation effectively is a great alternative to cutting ride sharing fees in half as well.

Ditch Cab Rides

Cabs have taken a toll from the demand of ride-sharing apps such as Uber and Lyft. Many have gone out of business due to the failure to compete. Although rates vary depending on the city, ride-sharing apps are fairly cheaper than cabs. Both taxis and Uber charge fares based on a combination of time and distance. However, the ride-sharing service Uber does not differentiate between cruising and stop-and-go traffic, while taxis do charge different rates based on speed.

Riding a taxi in an unfamiliar city can be nerve-wracking. You have no idea how much the trip should cost or if the driver is taking the longest route to make more money. The general Taxi service stance is that it is impossible to pre-calculate a fare because the meter rate depends on traffic, construction, weather, and route to the destination. Uber does provide fare estimates within the Uber app, but it does not guarantee the final fare because road conditions can change during the ride.

Because Uber conducts all business through its app, it beats cabs hands down for ease in arranging pickups, estimating payments, processing payments, and accepting complaints.

Find a Ride Sharing Buddy

In addition to the costs to eat out and go clubbing with friends. What comes with hanging out with friends and generally running errands off campus is the need for ride-sharing apps. While this may seem like an obvious point, some people do not do it as often. It’s useful to find a ride-sharing buddy in your dorm room or on campus in case you need to take a long trip to the airport or even run an errand.

Sometimes your friend circle could be busy so reaching out to people via social media or posting a bulletin to find someone to coordinate trips with is beneficial. Since the drivers charge you on a card, Uber and Lyft factors in the tip and the fare ends up being a lot less than a regular cab. It has become so easy for college students to split the fare through the Uber app, and this service helps to avoid people getting ripped off by cab drivers.